Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Team Training x 8

IP Switching Play (20 mins)

Mode: Specific practice

Organisation / Area Size / Equipment

50m x 70m

Play 9v8 GK on the blue team with the reds GK acting as a server for this practice.

Reds are playing a 3-3-2

Blues are playing a GK-4-1-2-1

How

Coach the blue team on switching the play by making the pitch big by using the width and depth of the playing area. If the reds manage to gain possession they must look to go on the counter

attack and score by breaking defensive lines. Manage the red team to prevent the switch play in order to create coaching opportunities on how to counter this. When the ball is in a wide zone there can not be any red players in the opposite zone as they would do in a match by leaving the furthest player

Explanation

Play will always start with the server kicking the ball back to the Blues keeper who will then look to make a pass to one of his

defenders. They must try switch play before attempting to score. In the illustration the ball has been passed to the Blues left back and

the red team are preventing him from switching play by pressing and leaving the furthest man in order to have more bodies in the

middle of the playing area making it problematic for the Blues who are trying to switch the play.

Teams can score by:

1) Blue team switching play and scoring in either mini goal on each wing or by passing it to the server down the middle.

2) Red team by gaining possession and going on the counter.

Challenges, Conditions & Targets

Blue team targets is to score in either goal or pass to the server and for the red team is to score upon gaining possession. Challange

for the Red team is can they score on the counter? Conditions are the full width of the pitch and up to the halfway line.

Wide players are locked in the wide zones with the reds wide players allowed to come into the half-space (shaded area) when the ball is on the opposite flank.

Central players are locked in the central area of the pitch.

In possession there must never be more than two attacking players in the half-space

Key Points

(Red Team)

Force direction of play

Defend narrow

Prevent the switch

Leave the furthest player

Pass = defensive effort

(Blue team)

Try switch play

Over around or through

Use of width and depth

Movement to recieve a pass

Weight of pass

Change of tempo

Interventions

Concurrent

Terminal

Coaching Process

Walk Throughs

OOP Defend Lines (20 mins)

Small Sided Game

Defend the Lines, and Protect the Middle controlling thespaces.

Understanding how and when to pressure the opposition sothat they are unable to play forward and exploit space betweenand beyond defensive lines.

Fast pressure on the ball

Protect the middle

Stay narrow & compact

Stop split passes

Protect the space behind

Area Size

Area size will be half pitch + 18 yards, with 2 full-sized goals

Flats will be used to mark out lines that are reference points for both teams as zones.

Cones will be used to mark out the tapered lines where the pitch will be cut of as the defending team will not have fullbacks.

9v9 with goalkeepers

Defending team formation will be 1-4-3-1 (4-4-1-1 in 11 a side) fullbacks for the defending team have been taken out so coaches can focus on defending the central areas.

Attacking team formation will be 2-4-2-1 (2-4-4-1 in 11 a side) wingers and now brought back in to the SSG but the focus still remains around the central areas.

Explanation

For the small-sided-game, the initial positions of the teams will remain unchanged. However, The wingers are now brought back

on to the pitch. The white line of flats and the tapered edges remain the same. Additionally with adding the wingers this modification

allows further problems for the defending team to protect the lines, granting them the freedom to to play out to the wing. This

adjustment aims to create a more dynamic and fluid gameplay, allowing for increased movement and strategic opportunities for

both teams within this previously restricted zone. Allowing more fluidity to the team in possession means, in theory, they should

pose more questions to the blue defence. This is important as we will be able to clearly see how well learning has transferred from

the specific practice into the small-sided-game.

Key Points

Positional Awareness: Ensure defenders maintain a solid and well-organised defensive shape, covering passing lanes and

spaces between lines to impede opponents' forward progress.

Pressing Triggers: Recognise the opportune moments to initiate pressure on opponents, whether it's when they receive the ball, as

they approach certain zones, or when there's an opportunity to force errors.

Protect the middle: Emphasise the importance of preventing opponents from accessing and exploiting central areas of the field,

positioning defenders strategically to block passing lanes and deny space in the middle.

Communication: Foster effective communication among defenders to coordinate pressing, maintain defensive lines, and quickly

adjust positioning to counter opponent movements.

Interventions:

Coaching Process

Concurrent

Walk Through

Terminal

What if’s

OOP Defending with 9,10 in high positions (20 mins)

Defending High with 1 Striker & 1 No10

Players: 18

Area:

Area: Half pitch with full back zone for blue team cut out from edge of box as no fullbacks.

Session Aim:

To develop the team’s ability to defend high up the pitch against a central attacking pair.

Primary Learning Outcome:

Striker and No10 apply coordinated high press

Midfield four provide support by covering passing lanes and stepping up if the front two are bypassed

Defenders maintain compact lines and prevent central penetration

Session Structure

Block 1 – Defensive Organisation (8 min)

Focus: Compactness, pressing triggers

Front two press together to force predictable passes

Midfield four support by covering central lanes and backing up the press

Break: 2 min

Block 2 – Coordinated Press (8 min)

Focus: Pressing triggers against 2 centre-backs

Striker + No10 press the ball-side CB

Midfield four step up to deny easy passes and maintain compactness

Break: 2 min

Block 3 – Transition After Regain (8 min)

Focus: Quick counter-attack or wide exploitation

Front two initiate regain pressure; midfield provide first support options and maintain defensive balance

OOP Defend low against front 3 (20 mins)

Organisation & Set Up

Red team defending in a 4-2-1 shape: GK, flat back four, two holding CMs, and a 10.

Blue team attacking in a 1-3-3 formation: GK, CB as 5, wingers 7 & 11, two central midfielders, 10 playing off them, and a central striker.

Conditions:

Corners on either side of the goal for the defending team have been removed to focus on defensive principles.

Challenges:

Can the defending team score within 10 seconds of winning possession?

Block 1:

Ball starts with the attacking team goalkeeper and is played to either winger (7 or 11) to try and draw the full-back out, creating a gap between FB and CB for the winger to play into 6 or 8. The 10 would then step into the pocket left by the full-back.

Defending team must stay narrow and compact. As the ball moves to the winger, can the full-back engage with quick

feet to slow them down, forcing them wide and preventing inside passes? Body position and spacing between players are critical.

If the winger plays back into 5 or 6, the back four can step up high (on the yellow flats), pushing the attacking team back.

GK plays into 5. As the defending team drops back, the attacking team looks to play centrally. 5 has the ball, and

both wingers and attacking 6 & 8 drop deep to receive. If the two CMs follow man-for-man and the back four don’t

step up, gaps open centrally for the attacking team. If the CMs track their players, the back four must close the space.

Wingers stay wide, and FBs only engage when the ball is played into them.

Attacking team aims to involve 6, 8, & 10 in the half-spaces. These three plus 5 circulate the ball to draw the

defending team out, before attempting a ball over the top for 9 & 10 running off the shoulder.

Pressing Triggers:

Under-hit pass

Poor first touch

Attacking player not ready for the ball

Problems & Solutions:

Problem 1:

Attacking team easily plays over the top, leaving striker 1v1 with the GK.

Solution:

Defending team drops back as the ball is played.

GK sweeps using the 18-yard box.

Defending team uses the edge of the 18-yard box as a reference. If one CB goes to meet the ball, the other CB sweeps behind, and the FB tucks in.

Defending team drops as soon as the attacking player looks for a run; back four meet the first contact of the ball.

Problem 2:

Attacking team moves the ball out wide to wingers, allowing them to travel around the 18-yard box.

Solution:

As the ball goes to the winger, the FB engages quickly, slowing them down.

CBs and other FB shuffle across to maintain compactness.

Two CMs tuck in around the edge of the 18-yard box to block central passing lanes.

Coaching Points:

Stay narrow and compact

Recognise pressing triggers (bad touch, under-hit pass)

Strong communication between midfielders and back four

Prevent vertical passes through the lines

Back four shuffle side-to-side depending on ball position

What Ifs:

What if the ball is played over the top from the goalkeeper?

What if the ball is played over the top from the goalkeeper?

Back four drop while defending.

GK starts higher and commands their area.